NoveMBER 15, 1918] 
trade, and it was certainly true that German 
exports of home production to European coun- 
tries were rapidly mounting and tending to 
supplant our own. This was due alike to ad- 
vantages of position and of communications as 
well as to the far-sighted policy of the Ger- 
man government. In the general markets of 
the world outside Europe, however, we were 
more than holding our own, and Mr. H. H. 
O’Farrell has shown that in the periods from 
1895-99 to 1910-13 we had nearly doubled our 
superiority to the Germans, owing largely to 
the magnitude and efficiency of our mercan- 
tile marine. 
What we failed to recognize was that Ger- 
man peaceful penetration was directed to ob- 
tain financial control of certain key industries 
and vital raw materials in order that, when it 
was decided to light the fires of war we should 
be placed in a position of grave difficulty in 
the manufacture of munitions. A further ob- 
ject was, I am now convinced, involved. It 
was desired that as many influential persons 
as possible should be closely entangled in 
financial interests of which Germany held con- 
trol, so that during and after war Germans 
in this country might obtain protection. In 
no other way can the amazing tenderness 
shown to Germans, which has given rise to 
strong resentment, be explained. The treat- 
ment of British subjects in Germany, and the 
liberty accorded to Germans among us offers 
a most startling contrast. 
As little did we realize the strenuous Ger- 
man propaganda stealthily at work all over the 
world before August, 1911, and since develop 
with lavish expenditure. Every country of 
the Allies and of neutrals has felt this malig- 
nant influence. Mainly by its agency, Russia 
has been brought to ruin, and the fair hopes of 
victory last summer, which we were justified 
in cherishing, have been deferred. Italy was 
brought close to disaster by the same means, 
but has nobly rallied. France is still dealing 
with the unseen hand, and America has been 
forced to take drastic measures. Here, as in 
Treland and in India, the effects of the most 
insidious weapons of the German government 
SCIENCE 
479 
have been felt, and they have not yet disap- 
peared. 
I mention this as a typical example of Ger- 
man efficiency and forethought of a kind 
which the British nation would rightly have 
scorned, but which have told heavily in the 
war and must be guarded against in the fu- 
ture. In the higher regions of statesmanship, 
that efficiency has inevitably failed. A gov- 
ernment which confidently believed that it 
had the right,.by reason of the alleged in- 
herent superiority of the German nation, to 
force its will upon all other peoples, was nat- 
urally unable to understand their mentality; 
and the arrogance bred of the consciousness of 
military strength entailed serious miscalcula- 
tions for which Germany will pay heavily. 
Impressed with the baseless idea that atroci- 
ties, if sufficiently revolting, would intimidate 
her enemies, the kaiser and his accomplices 
have succeeded in arraying against themselves 
all the free nations in the vanguard of prog- 
ress. They have made the German name and 
Kultur by words and synonyms of barbarism. 
They will find that the moral reprobation of 
the civilized world will dog their footsteps in 
the years to come, and that the final overthrow 
of the power of their present governing classes 
will be the necessary first condition of their 
readmission to the family of nations. We can 
learn from German methods what to avoid. 
In our projects for national reconstruction 
there is perhaps a tendency to regard in- 
creased industrial and commercial efficiency 
as paramount. This may be natural, because 
nothing but a great development of economic 
production within the empire can restore our 
heavily burdened financial resources. But, if 
we read the lessons of this war aright, we 
must see that this alone can not suffice, and 
that our industries might be paralyzed by an- 
tagonistie forces arising from want of other 
than purely technical efficiency. Peace will 
find us face to face with new problems of 
democracy still unsolved. A huge new elect- 
orate will convey political power to masses of 
men and women for the most part slenderly 
equipped for the responsibilities which they 
must assume. Democracy is still on its trial, 
